Police: Chiefs' Belcher kills girlfriend, self

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend before going to Arrowhead Stadium and fatally shooting himself as team personnel tried to stop him, police said.DAVID EULITT, MCT

Pro career: Appeared in 59 games and made 44 starts over four seasons after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Maine with the Chiefs in 2009. Started 10 of 11 games this season at left inside linebacker, and all 16 last season for the Chiefs. Had a career-high 120 tackles last season, including a career best of 11 twice.

College career: Started all 45 games he played in Maine with the Black Bears. Recorded 18 sacks and was a first-team choice by The Associated Press for its Football Championship Subdivision All-America team in 2008. Made second team All-America in 2007. Graduated with a degree in child development.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It began like any other Saturday for the Kansas City Chiefs during the NFL season, their general manager and coach at work early to put final touches on this weekend's game plan. Then they got a call to hurry to the parking lot.

The two men rushed through the glass doors of Chiefs headquarters and came face-to-face with linebacker Jovan Belcher, holding a handgun to his head.

Belcher had already killed his girlfriend and sped the short distance to Arrowhead Stadium, right past a security checkpoint guarding the entrance. Upon finding his bosses, Belcher thanked General Manager Scott Pioli and Coach Romeo Crennel for giving him a chance in the NFL. Then he turned away and pulled the trigger.

The murder-suicide shocked a franchise that has been dealing with controversies now made trivial by comparison: eight consecutive losses, injuries too numerous to count, discontent among fans and the prospect that Pioli and Crennel could be fired at season's end.

Authorities did not release a possible motive while piecing together the case, other than to note that Belcher and his girlfriend, 22-year-old Kasandra M. Perkins, had been arguing frequently.

The two of them left behind a 3-month-old girl. She was being cared for by family.

The Chiefs issued a statement that said their game Sunday afternoon against the Carolina Panthers would go on as scheduled, even as the franchise tried to come to grips with the awfulness of Belcher's death.

"The entire Chiefs family is deeply saddened by today's events, and our collective hearts are heavy with sympathy, thoughts and prayers for the families and friends affected by this unthinkable tragedy," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in brief a statement.

A spokesman for the team told The Associated Press that Crennel plans to coach Sunday.

"I can tell you that you have absolutely no idea what it's like to see someone kill themselves," said Kansas City Mayor Sly James, who spoke to Pioli shortly after the shootings.

"You can take your worst nightmare and put someone you know and love in that situation, and give them a gun and stand three feet away and watch them kill themselves. That's what it's like," James said. "It's unfathomable."

Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn told The Kansas City Star that when the team met later Saturday morning, Crennel broke the news to them.

"It was obviously tough for coach to have to tell us that," Quinn said. "He really wasn't able to finish talking to us. We got together and prayed and then we moved on."

But Quinn said the team was so stunned, it was hard to digest what had happened.

"It's hard mostly because I keep thinking about what I could have done to stop this," he said. "I think everyone is wondering whether we would have done something to prevent this from happening."

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend before going to Arrowhead Stadium and fatally shooting himself as team personnel tried to stop him, police said. DAVID EULITT, MCT
Kansas City Chiefs personnel entered the team's practice facility in Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday morning following the suicide of Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher at the facility. DAVID EULITT, MCT
Police cars were parked outside the Kansas City Chiefs practice facility Saturday following the suicide of linebacker Jovan Belcher at the facility. DAVID EULITT, MCT
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend before going to Arrowhead Stadium and fatally shooting himself as team personnel tried to stop him, police said. DAVID EULITT, MCT
The residence Kasandra Perkins, the girlfriend of Jovan Belcher of the Kansas City Chiefs is seen on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri. ED ZURGA, GETTY IMAGES
Crime scene investigators enter a home in Kansas City, Missouri, investigating the death of Kasandra Perkins, girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher. DAVID EULITT, MCT
Brianna York, 21, of Kansas City, Missouri, weeps as she speaks about Kasandra Perkins, 22, who was murdered by her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher, on Saturday morning. DAVID EULITT, MCT
Friends and relatives of Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher grieve outside the player's home in West Babylon, N.Y. FRANK ELTMAN, AP
Friends and relatives of Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher grieve outside the player's home on Dec. 1 in West Babylon, N.Y. FRANK ELTMAN, AP
Friends and relatives of Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher drink a toast outside the player's home on Saturday in West Babylon, N.Y. FRANK ELTMAN, AP
Jovan Belcher is shown during the Chiefs' game last week against the Denver Broncos. JAMIE SQUIRE, GETTY IMAGES

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